Connecticut western news., 1887-04-13
UNIQUE DINNERS.
Eccentricities at Dinner ETables in the Metropolis.
AFistic Skill in Cutting Fruit and Vege-
 A tables, Practical Jokes, Etc.

H tables, Practical Jokes, Etc.
 .Eccentricities at the dinner tables" says New York correspondent of the Detroit Post, "seems to be the rage this season. Any startling or unique inno- vation appears to be welcome. The fresh young man, who cuts human face on an orange and then squeezes the fruit until the eyes weep and the mouth -drtzztcs, is in. his glory. If ladies are at the table, he takes greater pleasure in exhibiting his artistic skill. A few smile, some give vent to exclamations of commisseration, and others preserve a digniHed silence. Feeling an orange geometrically is another accomplish mcnt. The yellow rind is cut in lines with a sharp penknife until it re- -sembles the ''prisoner's puzzle," just now attracting so much attention. The skin is then stripped from the fruit in sec- tions, making quaint angles, made amus- ing by the explanations accompanying them. The apple, the Malaga grape, the radish, and the banana also afford much amusement in the hands of accomplished artists. Indeed, one man has won such eclat by his skill in carving vegetables and esculents that he is known in society as Banana Bob."
 Frequently these dining-tab eccen- tricities are turned into practical jokes. At little dinner given to ex-Sheriff William Wright of Newark, N. J., at George Hopcraft's recently, the guests were in continual roar ot laughter. The chocolate cream candies were stuffed with cotton, tie lemon drops were made of gum guaincum, and the candied al- monds were filled with Tabasco sauce. Vegetables in covered dishes were placed on the table with each course, and the guests were asked to assist in serving them. In removing the covers live eel, an enormous bullfrog, and a huge lizard from Luke Ontario were disclosed. All were extremely lively. The eel slipped within tn, low waistcoat of the Sheriff, the bullfrog landed on Fish Commissioner Charles Murphy's shoulder and the lizard shot into the bosom of the wicked Senator Gibbs. An old shoe, mildewed and rotten, was placed before MT. McSwyny, well-known shoemaker. He grew red in the face and was about to treat the matter as Q mortal insult, when James Oliver of Paradise Park turned the old shoe over, opened slide in the sole, and disclosed a dozen cigars of the finest flavor. The shoe was a candled dummy, made to or der. The little party became so bolster ous in its merriment that police officer of Irish descent appeared. On seeing the condition of the table, the room, and its occupants, he apologized for his in- trusion, saying: "Shln fane! shin fane !! thought yces were having bit of a ruction, but it's nothin' but a shindy!'
 He improved the opportunity offer~d while all heads were turned listening to a good story to sweep the remains of the confectionery into his capacious coat pocket. The theft was discovered after his departure. 'If his wife gets chocolate cream, his mother in-law a lemon drop and the youngest child an almond bean, what happy time that policeman will have after he gets home," observed the sheriff, and the hilarity was redoubled.
 l hear of dinners in the avenue where living canaries fly out of the pies and where bouquets of choice flowers hoped with diamond rings are placed at the plate of each guest. At another enter tainment tiny oil paintings on leaves of ivory depicted scenes in the life of each guest. Uncle Rufus Hatch dis played an unmatched eccentricity prior to his departure to Europe. He had in : vited friend to dine with him in a private room at Morellls. An excellent dinner was served. At it's conclusion, and while the coffee was steaming, Rufus called for Cubanos. Thy were brought. tNow bring us light" said the ex- magnate from Wall street. The waiter lighted short snowy-wicked candle. Rufus raised the china candlestick to his mouth and lighted the cigar. He then replaced the stick on the table, and to the surprise of his guest took the lighted candle from it's socket, put it in his mouth, ate and swallowed it. He changed not muscle of his conntenance, but there was merry twinkle in his gray eyes. A similar candle was placed before his guest, who also lighted his cigar. When asked why he did not cat the taper he replied that he was no Cos sack. Thereupon Rufus opened his mouth and sent the second candle into his stomach after the first one.
 It was a week before tho guest got an explanation of the mystery. The can dies were parts of apples fashioned into rotund shape by the expert use of pen knife, and the wicks were the meats o] almonds pared down and stuck into the top of the vegetable tapers.
 Coffee Cherries.
 The fruit of the coffee tree is so like English cherries that, it is said, most folk would be at loss to tell heap o1